Work environments associated with certain industries, such as the mining and construction industries, are susceptible to undesirable dust conditions. For example, worksites associated with mining, excavation, construction, landfills, and material stockpiles may be particularly susceptible to dust due to the nature of the materials composing the worksite surface. For example, worksite surfaces of coal, shale, stone, etc., erode easily, and thus may tend to produce significant amounts of dust. Moreover, typical work operations performed at these sites only exacerbate the dust conditions. At a mine site, for example, cutting, digging, and scraping operations may break up the worksite surface and generate dust. In addition, heavy machinery, such as haul trucks, dozers, loaders, excavators, etc., traveling on such sites may disturb settled dust, thereby increasing the dust level of the air.
Undue dust conditions may reduce the efficiency of a worksite. For example, dust may impair visibility, interfere with work operations on the site, and require increased equipment maintenance and cleaning. In addition, dust may compromise the comfort, health, and safety of worksite personnel.
Various devices and methods have been used in the past to control worksite dust conditions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,954,719 to Carter, Jr. et al. (“the '719 patent”) discloses a method and system for treating worksite dust conditions. Specifically, the '719 patent discloses a system including one or more dust monitors positioned at different locations around the worksite. The dust monitors monitor the dust levels at their respective locations on the worksite and generate a dust control signal indicative of the monitored dust level. A controller associated with the system receives the signals from the dust monitors. When the controller determines that the dust level at the location of a particular dust monitor increases above a threshold, the controller generates a signal to dispatch a mobile dust control machine, such as a water truck, to the location. In response, the dust control machine travels to the location and treats the dust condition by spraying water at the location.
While the dust control system of the '719 patent may help control dust levels on the worksite, the system may be limited in certain ways. For example, the system of the '719 patent only takes into consideration dust levels at specific locations on the worksite, even though other factors may be relevant in the process. In addition, the system of the '719 patent makes no determination of an appropriate amount of water to spray at the locations. Moreover, the system of the '719 patent may not consider aspects relating to the coordination or planning the dispatching of the dust control machines.
This disclosure is directed to overcoming one or more disadvantages set forth above and/or other problems in the art.